Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow

So yesterday we starting getting more snow... and then more snow and Today we wake up to Blizzard like conditions..... and trust me it is cold. BRRRRRR... the kids were out yesterday afternoon in the snow and trying to make a snowman while mom shoveled the driveway for the second time that day. But today we are planning on staying inside. I was supposed to go to get my hair cut yesterday... but that was canceled... then we had to bring the dog to the groomers this morning and THAT got cancelled, then i was supposed to stop by the dr.'s office for a TB test and I cancelled that.

So being curled up in blankets and snuggling sounds like a good idea for today!

The kids giggling under the tree with their new blankets from Vicki's prayer group. (i will send you a pic to show them to your girls, Vicki!)
Here is our munchkin all ready to go outside.... missing her coat, and gloves!! ;-)

Ok, so teaching Archie to come to the back door to come in was a good idea........ until this morning when we had drifts 12" high next to our sliding glass door!!

The aftermath after I got him in..... now there is towels strewn all over the floor to soak up all the snow falling off the dogs. Good thing it is sooooo cold the dogs don't want to be outside very long.

All the snow.

Oh the weather outside is frightful,
But the fire is so delightful,
And since we've no place to go,
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

It doesn't show signs of stopping,
And I've bought some corn for popping,
The lights are turned way down low,
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

When we finally kiss goodnight,
How I'll hate going out in the storm!
But if you'll really hold me tight,
All the way home I'll be warm.

The fire is slowly dying,
And, my dear, we're still good-bying,
But as long as you love me so,
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

So before we put the kids down for bed last night the snow started falling and this morning it was a winter wonderland!!! So Beautiful!! The kids wanted to go outside and play right away... but we did get to fit in breakfast before we bundled up to play in the snow. They had a ball looking out our window and watching the dogs jump around and make puppy prints!
Luckily my mom had gotten the kids all the gear we needed to enjoy ourselves outside in the snow!! Look at us all in our Snow Pants.... i felt a little like Jon and Kate plus eight... because once i got one kid half done they were burning up and then the other needed a coat on and the other gloves and then G is riping it off because she was sweating.... by the time we headed outside Mom was exhausted already! ;-) But we still played for over an hour! The kids tried to make a snowman but the snow is way to fluffy and then mommy started shoveling the driveway so the kids used buckets and shovels and made their own snow piles.... then to warm up a little bit we went into the garage and tried to clean up so daddy can finally park inside and not have to scrape the windows in the morning.

Archie enjoyed the kids playing inside too... because now he has a wonderful bed of warm winter coats and pants...

Nate has been asking to look at snow plows for our driveway... since our magic snow angels moved out of the neighborhood :-( But i convinced him that i don't get to work out much because i am busy with the three kids so shoveling the driveway would be a great calorie burner. It was actually fun to do today!! (we will see how long into the winter i say this!! hee hee)

Then just when we were coming inside the fed ex man came bringing Xavier yet another gift.... thanks Uncle Jeff... we found another outside toy!!!! ;-) Xavier loves the better batter baseball thing.... he can't wait to go out in the snow after nap and try it!!!

Santa Claus and Combining Families

So today we headed to Des Moines this morning to go see the children’s family. We met at a McDonald’s Play Place, the kids 2 aunts and a cousin & her little boy. It was a bit awkward at first because no one knew how to act or what to say… but then the kids were their normal selves and went to play and jump around and made it a bit easier. We know it was difficult for the family to see the kids (they were happy to see them so happy) because they miss them. Their Aunt Robin thinks about them often and you can tell she really misses them in her life. It is heartbreaking because you are so torn, as to keep them as close to us as possible, but these family members love our kids as well.

Me, cousin Keisha, her son Trashan and X

The kids had a blast playing with their pal Joey

The kids two aunts: Carmie and Robin

What a cutie!!!

R and her auntie

Giving good bye kisses

Then the kids and us headed to the Des Moines botanical Center to see SANTA!!! The kids thought at first we were going to the North Pole... but we told them Santa came to us! They all sat on Santa's lap and told them what they wanted. R started off with "well, i want a whole lot of things!"

The fun thing about choosing a botanical center to visit Santa -- no lines... and wonderful scenery. Nate even allowed me to take the kids around the center and see all the beautiful flowers!!! I even got to see some of their prize orchids.... i have two of them and 1 of mine is from the friends society which volunteers displays their orchids at the botanical center.

All in All a wonderful day!!!

Happy Birthday Xavier!

Happy Birthday to Me, Happy Birthday to Me....

So we survived onset of birthday parties! Last week was Rosetta’s party with the family, and then last night we celebrated X’s party with a few friends and their kids. The house was full—but I think we did have enough seats for the kids. The kids had a great time playing with all their friends – even G (who usually plays by herself or stays close to mom and dad) was really interacting with the kids and playing with Riley, iris, and Audrey. X had a blast playing with Zack (his really only friend who is a boy!) Thanks Todd and Janice for making the trip down her to make X’s day extra special.

Here is our house packed with people..... it was a little cramped.

Buzz Lightyear was a BIG hit... X got wings to wear and a Buzz Lightyear action figure that is flying around the room with him... the wings made him a little wider but he didn't realize it and ran into just a few things!!

The soccer ball became a outdoor toy very quickly!!!

Mommy had to get X to read his cards... unlike R who loved the cards as much as the gift... X only wanted to dive into the gifts.

AND
Here is X this morning with his wings on and his new Buzz Lightyear who made our trip to Des Moines and back today!!!

St. Nick's Day

So we started a St. Nick’s tradition last night, (yes we know it is not December 6th) but with Xavier’s birthday being tomorrow and for us traveling to Des Moines in the morning .. we decided to fudge the day by one. ;-) Now, growing up in the Blankemeyer household we did not celebrate St. nick’s Day. But apparently Nate filled me in….. you write letters to Santa saying what you want for Christmas and then you put it in your stocking and then put a glass of milk and cookies out for St. Nick. (I thought the cookie and milk thing was reserved for Santa but apparently not!) my friend, Angie said something about a shoe…. Don’t really know about that tradition. Again, I am new to this.

The funniest thing was when R was helping me set out the cookies and milk, and we shut off the lights to go upstairs to bed R turns to me and said the milk is going to be sour.

Mommy: what do you mean?

R: the milk is going to sit out all night and be sour.

Mommy: Well, when you go to bed St. Nick will drink it so it won’t be out all night.

R: Mommy, put it in the refrigerator so it is cold.. then it will be good.

Mommy: How will St. Nick find it?

R: Write him a note.
She is so clever!!

The kids woke up to full stockings, they got warm winter gloves, coloring books, new pjs, a book and candy canes.... which Glorianna wanted for breakfast! We also had a blast writing their Santa Letters, Here they are below:

Glorianna's:
Dear Santa,
I would like a doll baby, mickey mouse, Dora backpack, and cookies (lots of them YUM!)
Love, Glorianna

FYI -- mommy did product placement on this letter... Santa got her the Dora backpack and mickey mouse already ... Uncanny!!! ;-)

Xavier's:
Dear Santa,
I would like a potty training big kid, (notice that the baby alive was a big hit in our household!! Thanks Aunt Dini) Handy Manny, Books (4 books please) Alphabets - especially an X, R, and G, for Christmas.
Love, Xavier



AND Rosetta's:
Dear Santa,
I would like a Feeding Baby, 1 potty training baby, Cookies, (tell Santa i said please)& books.
I love Santa!
Rosetta


The Kids are going to love Christmas this year... I can't wait until Christmas morning. You should have seen their faces this morning, PRICELESS. They were really patient and nice too while we let daddy sleep in a little and i didn't want them checking out the stockings until Daddy was awake. 20 more days and counting....

25 Days of Christmas

Good Morning mommy!!! ok... so this week i have been staying up late trying to get much needed projects done before chirstmas.... but the kids are not getting up in the morning any later. Go Figure!!! UGH. But at least in the morning we can have quiet time... NOOOO. It is every morning, mommy "can you put some music on" or mommy "can i play the guitar" or mommy "listen to me on the drums". So much for mommy getting any sleep! But i love this picture of our little rock band... and notice Glorianna using the Dr.'s thermometer as her microphone!! WHat a Riot!!!! She saw mommy once grab a spoon off the counter and sing into it and now everything is a microphone.

Also we have been having alot, i mean alot, of slumber parties in the basement. R is in LOVE with her new sleeping bag (thanks grandma Judy). It is permanently on the floor with doll babies and teddybears and all the pillows on it. (the babies are also making an appearance on mommy and daddy's bed alot this week ;-) I have even caught R reading to the other two laying on the floor on the princess sleeping bag.

Snug as three bugs in a rug!

Watch out Los Angeles Dodgers, Here I come!! X is yes very cooridanted and really did not want to share Rosetta's gift the softball glove. I think now his favortie color is purple because the softball glove was purple. This was our only day outside playing this week because it has been so cold!!! BRRRRRR...... so from now on we will have to bundled up or snug inside. But the kids love having hot chocolate when we come inside. (mommy's favorite thing too!!!) Also check out our christmas lights already on the bushes and on all the time..... since mommy is not so good at the timer thing?? i am clueless.

Little nervous with the kids and a bat....we just replaced 2 windows, i really don't feel like replacing another because a softball went through it.

Last night, Mommy had a meeting for Komen so I left the kids in daddy's hands... much to my surprise i get a text message during the meeting from nate saying he is making cookies!! WHAT???? Daddy and kids decided to get the Pizzelle maker and make little powder sugar covered cookies. And daddy did try... i was told. I walked in the door and X comes running to me and says "daddy tried to make cookies, but he didn't know how, mommy you needed to help daddy." Nate did successfully make cookies i tried them, but apparently it was harder than it looked ;-)

Thanks grandma Pam for the stockings... they are hung and waiting for St. Nick to fill them with candy and toys!! This week has been great since the beginning of December is here.. lots of christmas movies are on tv, we can officially listen to xmas music all the time (FYI -- R's favorite song is Santa Baby, and X's is little drummer boy -- rum pum pum pum.... ) and there are snow flurries!!! This morning we woke up with a little snow on the ground and the kids were soooo excited. They were jumping around and telling our little elf (TIKI) that santa can come now because there is snow. I am soo glad they are into christmas it makes for a very happy mommy. Everyone enjoy their first week of December and we will send more pictures after the birthday party for X tommorrow night! Spiderman theme... he will be sooo excited!